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In our emails, sent once or twice a week, you'll receive:
• alerts on new threats to Colorado's environment
• opportunities to join other Coloradans on urgent actions
• updates on the decisions that impact our environment
• resources to help you create a cleaner, greener future

There should be little doubt that we can move our country — and our world — to 100 percent renewable energy before we experience the worst impacts of global warming. Last year, Environment America Research & Policy Center published a report with Frontier Group titled, “We Have the Power: 100% Renewable Energy for a Clean, Thriving America” that examined various scenarios through which we could re-power our society with renewable energy, mainly by cutting our energy use and ramping up solar and wind.

There are no lack of reasons for shifting completely away from fossil fuels. First and foremost, renewable energy makes us safer and healthier, protecting our communities from air and water pollution, as well as the damaging effects of global warming. Shockingly, 72 metropolitan areas in this country still experience at least 100 days of unhealthy air pollution every year. This is unacceptable, especially when it’s totally avoidable.

What’s more, the price of solar and wind power has plummeted faster than even the most optimistic projections. We’re seeing similar trends with electric cars and battery storage as well. With these rapid declines in cost and increased urgency to act on climate, a growing movement of towns, cities, states and businesses are committing to going 100 percent renewable. As of now, 37 cities across the country have announced 100 percent renewable energy goals, including San Diego, the eighth largest city in the country. Large corporations like Walmart, General Motors, Google and IKEA have made similar commitments.

The progress we’ve seen, especially recently, should inspire confidence that we can completely re-power our lives with renewable energy. However, getting there is not a foregone conclusion. That’s why we’re working hard in states like California and Massachusetts to pass laws committing them to 100 percent renewable energy, and it’s why we’ll be on college and university campuses this fall calling on them to make the same commitment.

We can debate the nitty gritty details of getting those last few percentage points from solar and wind, but let’s not lose sight of the fact that it needs to happen. We don’t have much time to lose, so let’s get to work.